#GivingTuesday, the National Day of Giving, kicks off the holiday giving season on December 2, following Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Before donating to a charity this season, it is wise to carefully review a charity and ensure it is a trustworthy organization. BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB WGA) along with Better Business Bureaus across North America, is sharing five tips to help donors give with confidence.

“Our main objective is to help donors find charities they can trust,” remarks H. Art Taylor, president and CEO, BBB WGA. “We believe our rigorous reviews help verify trust before you donate.”

BBB WGA recommends these tips to give wisely, on #GivingTuesday and any day of the year:

Watch out for copycats. There may be hundreds of charities seeking support in the same category, and some may have similar sounding names. Don’t fall for a case of mistaken identity.

Consider the whole picture, not just finances. While financial ratios help in identifying cases of financial abuse, it’s a mistake to use them as the sole basis for making a giving decision. A good ratio does not necessarily mean a charity is well managed, honest in its appeals, transparent about its activities, and effective in achieving its mission.

Avoid being pressured. Don’t succumb to pressure to make an on-the-spot giving decision. Responsible organizations will welcome your gift tomorrow just as much as today.

Keep emotions in check. Donors need to be mindful that con artists will often strike when emotions are running high. Always take a moment to verify that your selected charity operates ethically.

Rely on rigorous evaluations. Charities can demonstrate they are trustworthy by undergoing a rigorous evaluation based on holistic standards such as the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. Get free access to BBB Charity Reports at Give.org.

]]>14856Better Business Bureau urges consumers and businesses to change passwords in the wake of massive data breachhttp://nkctribune.com/better-business-bureau-urges-consumers-and-businesses-to-change-passwords-in-the-wake-of-massive-data-breach/
Fri, 08 Aug 2014 22:11:10 +0000http://nkctribune.com/?p=12604Read More]]>Better Business Bureau urges consumers and businesses to change their passwords in the wake of a report of an alleged massive international data breach.

According to the Hold Security, its Deep Web Monitoring program discovered what could be the widest-ranging global security breach in history, affecting an estimated 420,000 websites, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small internet sites. The New York Times reports that a second computer crime expert who reviewed the data said some large companies were aware their records were among the stolen information.

The company did not list the names of the hacked websites, however, Hold Security reports the hackers captured a staggering 1.2 billion usernames and passwords, and more than 500 million email addresses.

According to its website, Hold Security says “As long as your data is somewhere on the World Wide Web, you may be affected by this breach.”
The statement continues “Your data … could have been stolen from the service or goods providers to whom you entrust your personal information, from your employers, even from your friends and family.”
Below are BBB’s tips from the Stop.Think.Connect. campaign on how to protect your personal information online:

Secure your accounts: Ask for protection beyond passwords. Many account providers now offer additional ways for you verify who you are before you conduct business on that site.

Make passwords long and strong: Combine capital and lowercase letters with numbers and symbols to create a more secure password.

Write it down and keep it safe: Everyone can forget a password. Keep a list that’s stored in a safe, secure place away from your computer.

Own your online presence: When available, set the privacy and security settings on websites to your comfort level for information sharing. It’s ok to limit how and with whom you share information.

For more tips you can trust, contact your BBB at *protected email* or call 509-455-4200.

]]>126043/28/13 – Taneum/Manastash – END OF SEASONhttp://nkctribune.com/32813-taneummanastash-end-of-season/
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:13:21 +0000http://nkctribune.com/?p=2216Read More]]>3/28. Groomed from Manastash up the 3100. Snows great from the second bridge up. Went up to Quartz then out the 3120rd to Tamarack Springs. Down the 3330rd. Good snow down to 3300rd. Nice place to park at junction. Then went up 119rd to Five Corners and 111rd to 4510rd.

Also did Windy Pass Loop then down the 4510 to 4517. GREAT SNOW all the way around.

The snow is great from Woods and Steele too. Probably be good riding fom there for 2-3 weeks unless they open the road to vehicles. Most snow in the last three years I’ve seen at the end of the season. Almost a foot of snow still on the road.

Looks like another sunny weekend. Be safe and have fun.

These were the last trips for the season. Have a great summer

Think snow…

Nick

]]>22163-28-13 Cle Elum Ranger District Grooming – SEASON ENDINGhttp://nkctribune.com/3-28-13-cle-elum-ranger-district-grooming-season-ending/
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:56:04 +0000http://nkctribune.com/?p=2198Read More]]>John Simon, USFS Groomer Operator, reported this is the last grooming report of the year. We are finished grooming, I was talking with the WA State Parks and a grooming coordinator and they both suggested not grooming this week due to the climbing snow elevations and warm temps. The work we would do on the trail would not last long enough to make it worth the effort or the money spent. So we are now doing year end maintenance on the snowcats.
]]>21983-23-13 Taneum – Reecer Creekhttp://nkctribune.com/3-23-13-taneum-reecer-creek/
Sun, 24 Mar 2013 02:52:52 +0000http://nkctribune.com/?p=2190Read More]]>John Simon reported: It’s getting to be that time of year. Today we opened the following roads to wheeled vehicles: Taneum 3300, Lion Gulch 9712,and Cougar Gulch 9727. On all these roads you can get up a couple miles on mostly bare road. Also, The Reecer creek road is now plowed up to the rockpit (very icy in spots). It remains a Sno-Park. And the Sno-Park sign broke off at Pipe Creek, and with the season winding down, we did not replace it.
]]>21903/21/12 – Taneum/Manastashhttp://nkctribune.com/32112-taneummanastash/
Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:38:45 +0000http://nkctribune.com/?p=2182Read More]]>3/21 groomed from Manastash up the 3100rd to Quartz Mtn and back.

Great snow from second bridge up. People are parking at Barber Springs and smaller rigs at wide spots just before bridge.

Will groomed from Manastash one more time next week. Also planning grooming from Woods and Steele tomorrow and again next week.

See you on the trail… Be safe with all this new snow.

Picture is top of Quartz Mtn before this snow storm started

]]>21823/20/13 – Taneum Manastashhttp://nkctribune.com/32013-taneum-manastash/
Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:36:54 +0000http://nkctribune.com/?p=2169Read More]]>3/20 groomed from Woods & Steele Staging area up the 4510 around Windy Pass Loop. Up the 114 and back down the 4510 to 4517.

]]>21693-20-13 John Simon, USFS reported…http://nkctribune.com/3-20-13-john-simon-usfs-reported/
Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:11:10 +0000http://nkctribune.com/?p=2167Read More]]>John Simon, Groomer Operator for the USFS reported: Today the avalanche danger is high so we will not be grooming today. It is also wet and sloppy, but it looks like the weather is going to cool down for the rest of the week and not be as windy so we hope to be back on our grooming schedule after today. Before you go check the weather and avalanche reports.
]]>21673-15-13 Table Mt, Haney Meadow, Lion Rockhttp://nkctribune.com/3-15-13-table-mt-haney-meadow-lion-rock/
Sat, 16 Mar 2013 03:17:23 +0000http://nkctribune.com/?p=2124Read More]]>Submitted by John Simon – We groomed on Table Mtn. to Haney Mdw, then out to Lion Rock area on Wednesday, It was not freezing nor has it gotten below 32 since then. The snow pack (depending where you are in the County) has shrunk 3-7 inches in two days so be careful where you go and what you do. Today we will groom the Keechelus Ridge route and the Table Mtn. route, but remember it has not been down to the freezing mark for a while so it only takes a few sleds to beat up the route and make it look like no one has been there. John Simon
]]>21243-14 Taneum Manastash Groominghttp://nkctribune.com/3-14-taneum-manastash-grooming/
Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:06:25 +0000http://nkctribune.com/?p=2120Read More]]>Submitted by Nick Whitman – 3/14 groomed from Woods and Steele Staging area up the 4510 and around Windy Pass Loop and up 114. Went down 111 to Five corners and then down and up 119 returning to 4510 and then 4517.

About 6-8 inches of a snow left on Taneum Road at Taneum Junction and good snow from Woods & Steele. Plenty of great trail riding.

Lots of fun to be had. We will be grooming a limited schedule until the end of the month. Come enjoy.